The purpose of this invention is to create a means by which various central tire inflation valve configurations can be connected to a common wheel. FIG. 1 provides an example of a two-piece wheel assembly 1 with a central tire inflation (CTI) valve 2 connected to the wheel 3 in accordance with the teachings of prior art. The two-piece wheel assembly 1 includes a wheel 3 with tire 4 and CTI valve 2. Parts of the wheel 3 include a rim portion 5, disc portion 6, rim flat area 7, hub bore area 8, and CTI airways (both hub side 9 and tire side 10). The tire 4 and rim portion 5 form a tire chamber 11 that contains a pressurized fluid (usually air). Two piece wheels are usually used when a beadlock or run flat device (not shown) are utilized in the two piece wheel assembly. Two-piece wheels include two major parts, the outer rim half 12 and the inner rim half 13. The two rim halves are sealed with an o-ring 14 to prevent air from escaping out of the tire chamber 11. Studs 15 and nuts 16 secure the two rim halves 12 and 13 together.
Current CTI valve technology may, however, employ any one of several configurations. First, the CTI valve can be fixed on the face of the wheel such that an airway from the hub provides air through a channel in the wheel to the valve. The valve then channels the air into a separate airway in the wheel that leads to the tire chamber and inflates the tire. (See, e.g., FIG. 1). U.S. Pat. No. 6,076,578 describes this methodology in detail. Second, FIG. 2 shows a section of a two-piece wheel assembly 1 configured for an externally mounted CTI valve 17 and a quick release valve 18, both of which are mounted on the two-piece wheel 3. The CTI valve 17 and quick release valve 18 are located on the disc 6 of the wheel 3 with a hose 19 coming from the hub and providing air to the valve 17 and quick release 18. The valve 17 and quick release 18 then channels the air to a second hose 20 that interfaces with a fitting 21 on the wheel. The air then passes through the fitting 21 to the tire chamber 11. Third, the CTI valve can be located on the hub of the axle (typically placed at the axis of rotation). Air passes through the hub into the valve. The valve then channels the air into a hose that interfaces with a fitting on the wheel. The air then passes through the fitting to the tire chamber.
However, all of the aforesaid methods and apparatus have disadvantages. For example, with external CTI valve mounting configurations, the disadvantages include: (a) complex assembly requiring a multiplicity of components to function; (b) risk of air leakage due to high number of components; (c) increased cost due to high number of components; (d) increased risk of damage due to valve, hoses, and/or other items protruding from the face of the wheel when the vehicle is in operation; and (e) the excessive time required to assemble and disassemble the high numbers of components inherent in these designs. Likewise, for current internal CTI valve configurations, the disadvantages include: (a) the fact that, because the valve is fixed directly to the wheel, the wheel must be manufactured to specifically accommodate a particular valve or vice versa; (b) increased cost due to the need to provide multiple wheel configurations as required to accommodate various CTI valves; and (c) increased lead time to develop wheels and/or valves to accommodate an existing valve/wheel interface configuration.